NFL legend Ryan Clark has called on the WNBA to publicly support Caitlin Clark and other players as debates away from basketball continue to dominate discussion around the league.
Speaking on The Pivot podcast, Clark argued that attention should return to the women actually competing rather than controversies surrounding the WNBA.
Caitlin Clark has the last word after DiJonai Carrington tries to rattle her
“The biggest thing to me is the WNBA needs to take a stand and say they stand with the women that are on the court right now playing. That is who they want to protect. And we should stop having conversations about a make-believe issue that the WNBA has not had in 30 years of its existence,” Clark said.
Ryan Clark wants Caitlin Clark’s basketball to take center stage
Clark specifically pointed towards Caitlin Clark’s performances as an example of what he believes should be generating headlines.
“What you should be talking about the fact that Sydney Taylor has gone from undrafted player to clutch bucket maker in the most important moments for her team. That Natasha Cloud, just three games before the incident happened, had 35 points and she was looking for a team this offseason,” Clark added.
“Caitlin Clark on that very night hit eight three-pointers. This is somebody that’s in the MVP conversations, one of the faces of the league.”
The comments come as Caitlin Clark continues to find herself at the center of wider arguments involving officiating, physical play and political debates surrounding the WNBA.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver recently defended her publicly.
Ryan Clark urges WNBA to celebrate its stars
“I have come to know Caitlin really well,” Silver said.
“She’s an incredible player and also an incredible person. And she wants to focus on being the best player she can. She has become a bit of a political football in this country, and I think it’s incredibly unfair to her.”
Ryan Clark believes the same problem is preventing other WNBA players from receiving recognition for their achievements.
“And instead of talking about uplifting her and her game, you’re now dealing with nonsense and having to have conversations about that. Angel Reese goes for 31 points two games ago, has 26 rebounds in the next game to break a record. You’ve been fighting all this time for those sorts of people to be recognized.”
His message is ultimately that Caitlin Clark and her fellow WNBA stars should be discussed primarily for what they are producing on the court.